Having Stomach Pain. Abdominal Scan Was Normal. Could This Be Due To Ulcer?
I have had a few questions answered on this website. Although I am trying to eat after two years of anorexia, I have had problems with constipation as well as stomach pains and nausea. The prospect of being in excruciating pain 2 hours after I eat really puts me off.
My current problem is that every day, beginning at around 3-4pm I have increasing stomach pains which last for the good bit of the day and into the night. Most of the time they get so bad that I am doubled up and unable to even talk.
I am able to sleep it off but the next day the same thing happens. Every day.
I have had an abdominal ultrasound today which showed nothing abnormal in any of the organs (liver, pancreas, galbladder etc)
I am suspecting ulcers in my stomach but when I throw up there are no telltales of bleeding, at least I don't think so.
I don't have much money and I am planning some tests with the NHS when I visit back in England in the end of November (I am an English citizen)
I don't know if I can last that long. What is wrong with my stomach, why am I havng these horrible pains and is there a way to relieve them or try to cure them while I wait to go to the NHS?
Thank you
Please help.
Thanks
Can try few things....
Detailed Answer:
Hi XXXXX.
Thanks for posting your query at XXXXXXX
Stomach pain occurring at empty stomach periods is very much suggestive of peptic ulcer disease. If it is not the case other thing can be irritable bowel syndrome, the diagnosis of which requires ruling out every other possibility first.
You may go for barrium meal x-ray to have a cheaper diagnosis of stomach ulcer, although endoscopy is the procedure of choice..
Since you said that you are not able to manage investigations till december, here are few suggestions which may help you, considering your case to be stomach/duodenal ulcer cum irritable bowel syndrome....
1) Don't keep yourself empty stomach take frequent small meals like biscuits. Avoid spicy foods and especially red hot chillies, cofee and tea.
2) Don't take too much water just after meal. Just take few sips during meal and take a full amount after 1 hr.
3) Keep head end of your bed slightly elevated.
4)Take lots of roughage, cold milk.
5) you may try proton pump inhibitors like omeprazole 20 mg once a day half an hour before breakfast and if it is spasmodic pain can try dicyclomine along with.
Best wishes
I wish to add here that my pains can be agonizing and lasting from early afternoon into the XXXXXXX hours of the next morning maybe up to 12 hours.
You don't suppose any of this could be caused by stress or anxiety. These pains are severe and agonizing.
I have thought of H. Pylori related ulcers too. Is there a way I can start fighting the bacterium until I can get my tests done?
Any foods I must absolutely avoid besides the obvious ones you already suggested?
Thank you again
H pylory needs high dose antibiotics...
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for follow up,
Stress can cause stress induced ulcers. So it is always better to succumb stress.
H pylori related ulcers needs high dose antibiotics along with omeprazole. I think get yourself diagnosed first before starting this.
Avoiding spicy and hot food is enough.
You may try omeprazole for 7- 10 days.......till the time you get confirmatory test to relieve yourself. If you are getting relief probably you are suffering from ulcer itself.....
Regards
the regularity of the onset of pain is what I want to ask you now.
Is it typical for these pains to start in the second half of the day and worsen as the evening progresses?
Then if I eventually fall asleep, usually by morning I am ok. Then sometime in the early afternoon it starts allover again.
also, the Controloc (which is a proton pump inhibitor ) seems to work if I catch the onset of the pain. If I delay it doesn't seem to help much if at all.
What is this typical of? Ulcer's like you said? or something else.
thanks again
Better get examined thoroughly
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for follow up.
Ulcers pain are of two types: one occurring with food and one occurring with empty stomach consistent with peptic and duodenal ulcers respectively. Sometimes they radiate to back or cause symptoms of dyspepsia or burning sensation in chest.
Controlac (pantoprazole) is usually taken before breakfast so as to decrease the acid formation stimulated by food. You can increase the dose to 40 mg, if taking 20 mg.
There may be other entity called irritable bowel syndrome where pain is typically spasmodic in nature, often relieves on passing stool. This usually settles on taking smooth muscle relaxants like dicyclomine and good amount of roughage in diet.
What I told was the relieving medicine in absence of investigation. If you have severe symptoms it will be better to get yourself thoroughly examined and investigated.
Best wishes